August fbank



A. FRANK.

WRITING DESK.

(No Model.)

No. 246,384. Patented Aug. 30,1881.-

\grllllllllllz tlNirE STATES ATENT, FFICE.

AUGUST FRANK, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

WRITING-DESK.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 246,384, dated August 30, 1881.

Application filed January 14, 1881. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, AUGUST FRANK, of New York, in the State of New York, a citizen of the United States, have invented a new and useful Improvement in IVriting Desks, of which the following is a specification.

The nature of my invention consists in the arrangementof asuitable lever or arm attached to the hinged leaf or front of a writing-desk, and connected through a rod with the sliding cover of said desk, together with a sliding bolt having suitable projections operated by the ward of a pivoted key, said key being provided with projections acted upon by the end of the lever or rod in such a manner that the opening or closing of the hinged front leaf of the desk will at the same time move the sliding bolt so as to bring its projections into or out of suitable recesses on the sides of the drawers, and thereby lock or unlock all drawers at the same time.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 represents a cross'section of a writing-desk with the usual drawers with my improvement attached. Fig. 2 is a vertical section atlinezz, Fig. 1.

To the board 0 a front or leaf, D, is hinged by means of a suitable hinge, a, which said leaf D, when turned as shown in dotted lines, forms the writing-table.

E is a sliding cover, forming the top of the writing-desk when the leaf D is closed, and which can be fastened to said leaf by means of a suitable lock. To the leaf D a lever, J, is attached, connected through a rod, G, to the end of the cover E at F. When the leafD is turned on its hinge to form the writing-table with the board 0, the lever J and rod G will be moved, as shown in dotted lines, and move thereby the cover E backward into a suitable recess in the desk, giving thereby, with little width of the leaf D, a large open space for writ ing. Between the sides of the drawers B and the casing of the desk A a bolt or bar, H, is arranged, capable of sliding freely up or down, and provided with projections 12 n, &c., fitting into suitablerecesses in the sides of the drawers, whereby said drawers are all held fast or locked when said bar H is in a position represented in the drawings. Near this bar H a key, L, upward position, and theother recess to re ICQ is arranged, turning freely on its center, and provided with the usual projection or ward, or, working in a suitable recess in the edge of the bar H, for the purpose of moving said rod or bar H upward or downward. This key L is provided with projections s ands. Upon turning down the leaf D of the writingtable on its hinge the motion of the lever J will cause its end to strike the projection .9, moving the same upward, and thus turn the keyL so that the ward on. will move the bolt H downward, and thus bring the projections an on said bolt H clear of the drawers B, so that the same can be opened or closed, as desired. The turning of the key L will at the same time bring its ward in contact with a lever, 10, so as to move said lever clear of a pin, 1:, attached to the bolt H, and whereby said bolt H is held in either position, as will be hereinafter described.

The boards forming the bottom of the drawers B are made with suitable recesses on the sides, into which the projections n n, &c., of the bolt H fit when this bolt is in its downward position, and when the drawers are closed, pre venting thereby the drawers from being opened. When the bolt H is moved upward thcse projections a a come clear of the recesses, and the drawers can be moved and opened.

It will readily be understood that, instead of making recesses in the boards forming the bottom of the drawers, suitable pieces may be attached to the outside of the drawers, provided with recesses for the projections n n to fit into. Whenever the leaf D is closed again the end of the lever J will come in contact with the projection s of the key L, turning thereby said key so that its ward m will move the bolt H again upward, and thereby look all the drawers.

To the side frame or board of the desk a lever, w, is attached, capable of being operated by the ward of the key L, and engaging with a pin, 12, attached to the bolt H. This lever to is acted upon by asuitable spring, or, to hold said lever 10 engaged with the pin o, except when acted uponby the ward of the key L. In this lever w two recesses are made for the pin 0 to fit into-one when the bolt H is in its ceive the pin 4) when the bolt His in its lowest pivoted key L, provided with projections s 8 position, holding thereby said bolt H in either and ward m, the lever w, with its spring or, and position perfectly fast, into which it is moved the drawers B of the writing-desk, with suitby the action of the key L, as described. able recesses on the sides, arranged as de- 5 What I claim as my invention, and desire scribed and to operate in the manner and for 15 to secure by Letters Patent, isthe purpose substantially as set forth.

The combination of the lever J, attached to AUGUST FRANK. the hinged leat' D, the rod Gr, connecting the \Vitnesses: lever J with the sliding cover E, the sliding HENRY E. ROEDER,

1o bolt H, with projections an, &c., and pin 2;, the J. B. NONES. 

